There was a time when the Renault Espace was a symbol of something very un, European, practicality. Back in the 1980s, the original Espace turned family transportation into a velvet, seated lounge on wheels. Swiveling chairs. Individual thrones for each passenger. Storage cubbies tucked into every crevice. It wasn’t just a car; it was a rolling living room. Fast forward to 2024, and what used to be a true minivan icon has now joined the great SUV migration.
To see if the magic still lingers beneath this new SUV suit, I took the latest Renault Espace E, Tech Full Hybrid 200 Iconic up into the rugged elegance of the Blauberge, a spiny green ridge straddling Bavaria and Tyrol. Here, steep inclines, long switchbacks, and fast Autobahn approaches meet postcard alpine serenity. A perfect litmus test for what Renault now calls their ultimate seven, seat SUV.
Let’s dive in. No summaries, no fluff. Just the machine, the mountain, and me.
A New Skin: Espace Morphs into a Long Austral
I had my doubts the second I laid eyes on it in the hotel car park in Rottach, Egern. The new Espace looks handsome, sure. Slim LED headlights, vertical grille elements, sharply cut shoulders, and 19, inch wheels that fill the arches with purpose. But it’s no longer the lovable bubble van that once whispered “bonjour” to European roads.
Because underneath the bodywork, this is not a ground, up reinvention. It’s a stretched Renault Austral, same CMF, CD platform, same dashboard, and same powertrain. The wheelbase has grown to 2.74 meters, the length to 4.72 meters. That gives it some swagger and extra interior real estate. Still, it feels a bit like a Netflix reboot of a 1980s cult classic. Familiar badge. Totally different script.
Inside though, things get promising.
A Cabin Built for Tech, Hungry Tourists (and Their Kids)
The first thing that strikes you inside the Espace is how advanced everything looks, and feels. The 12.3, inch digital instrument cluster connects seamlessly with the 12, inch vertical touchscreen, all running Google’s OpenR Link system. It’s basically an Android phone on its side, right down to the inclusion of Spotify, Google Maps, and even a music quiz app called Song Pop. I asked my co, driver to try it while we snaked up from Wildbad Kreuth, but she got too dizzy from the corners. Alpine twisties don’t mix with 1980s trivia.
Material quality is… good. Not premium, but clean and convincing. Matte plastics where you need grip, textured aluminum along the center stack, and soft, touch panels across the dash and doors. Everything feels snugly bolted down. Except for one thing, the occasional buzz from the B, pillar plastics when the three, cylinder engine fires up under stress. It’s a small chink in what is otherwise a well, assembled cabin.
The seats deserve a special mention. In the Iconic trim I tested, they’re heavily bolstered, long enough under the thighs, and come with heating and ventilation. I drove for nearly five hours that day, from Munich to the Blauberge base and then up the twisty Wallbergstraße, and I got out fresher than I had any right to be.
Seven Seats, But Let’s Talk Realism
Here’s where things get real. Renault says the Espace is a seven, seater. And it is. Technically. You can unfold two little jump seats from the trunk floor and, voilà!, theoretical third, row seating.
I’m 1.83 meters tall. Getting back there took effort. My knees were up by my chest, my head barely cleared the headliner, and I had to wedge my hiking boots sideways to even fit my feet. For kids or small adults? Fine. For regular, sized humans on any trip longer than 20 minutes? A no, go. But you can just keep those seats folded and enjoy a huge boot, up to 1,818 liters with the second row down. I actually folded both rear rows flat and slid in a full, size mountain bike with both wheels on. Not bad.
There’s 22 cm of longitudinal adjustment in the second row, and when you push it all the way back, even tall adults will sit comfortably. With the middle seats fully forward, you can squeeze in a lot of cargo, but rear legroom suffers. It’s a compromise vehicle. But it’s an honest one.
Hybrid Hardware: Tech, Savvy, But Not Electrifying
Let’s break down what’s really under the hood. Renault calls it a “Full Hybrid,” and while that sounds futuristic, it’s not quite plug, in or EV. Instead, the Espace pairs a 1.2, liter turbocharged three, cylinder petrol engine (131 hp) with two electric motors, one for propulsion (68 hp), and one for starting and shifting (25 hp). All of this is governed by a multi, mode automatic transmission with, wait for it, 15 possible gear combinations. Welcome to French engineering.
Out on the open Autobahn south of Tegernsee, the Espace hit 174 km/h with no fuss. The 0, 100 km/h sprint comes in at 8.8 seconds, which is brisk for a seven, seater. More impressive is the midrange shove. From 80 to 120 km/h, it does the job in just 5.5 seconds, which made overtaking a caravan of holidaymakers towing trailers a breeze.
But let’s talk character. Around town and on the winding B307, it prefers electric mode. Smooth, quiet, eerily efficient. On average, I saw 5.8 liters per 100 km, nearly spot, on with ADAC’s real, world 5.9, liter figure. In downhill regen mode above Kreuth, it even added some charge back to the battery.
The caveat? When the combustion engine kicks in hard, like during steep hill climbs or quick overtakes, it gets buzzy. The engine whines, the vibrations creep in, and sometimes the transmission lurches slightly before settling. This isn’t a car that begs to be thrashed. It’s a car that rewards a steady rhythm.
On the Mountain Roads: The Espace Finds Its Groove
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting much agility. After all, this thing weighs 1,773 kg empty and sits high on its springs. But Renault fitted it with rear, wheel steering, which means that at lower speeds, the rear wheels turn opposite to the fronts. It works. On the serpentine stretches of the Blauberge climb, the Espace cornered with surprising poise. Body roll is there, of course, but never scary. Steering is light but consistent, and the ESP kicks in just early enough to keep things drama, free.
The suspension is set for comfort. Potholes, gravel, rough patches from late spring meltwater, none of it made its way into the cabin with any ferocity. Even descending on the narrow Oberaudorf road, the Espace stayed planted, brakes held firm, and the regen paddles allowed some mild engine braking.
This isn’t a driver’s car. But it’s an arriver’s car. You and your passengers will get there comfortably, without headaches, and with plenty of USB, C ports for everyone.
Renault Espace E, Tech Full Hybrid 200: Full Technical Specifications
To uphold data integrity, we exclusively use Renault’s official site for all technical information.
| Specification | Value |
| Engine Type | Full Hybrid |
| Combustion Engine | 1.2L 3, cylinder turbocharged |
| Electric Motors | 50 kW (traction), 18 kW (starter/generator) |
| System Power | 200 hp (147 kW) |
| Transmission | Multi, mode automatic, 15 gear combinations |
| Drive Type | Front, wheel drive |
| Battery Capacity | 1.7 kWh (non, plug, in) |
| 0, 100 km/h | 8.8 seconds |
| Top Speed | 174 km/h |
| WLTP Consumption | 4.7 l/100 km |
| ADAC Real Consumption | 5.9 l/100 km |
| CO₂ Emissions | 107 g/km |
| Boot Volume | 159L (all seats up), up to 1,714L (seats folded) |
| Towing Capacity | 1,500 kg braked |
| Length x Width x Height | 4,722 mm x 1,843 mm x 1,645 mm |
| Curb Weight | 1,773 kg |
| Base Price (Germany) | €48,300 |
Final Thoughts: Espace 2024, The Name Remains, the Spirit Evolves
Climbing into the Espace doesn’t feel like boarding a minivan anymore. It feels like stepping into a cleverly engineered, slightly quirky French take on the SUV. Gone is the old magic of rotating seats and unthinkable interior volume, but in its place is a smart hybrid drivetrain, up, to, date infotainment, and enough clever packaging to still make it family, friendly.
In the Blauberge, it handled steep gradients and twisty turns with more grace than expected. It’s not quite the Espace of old, but it is still worthy of the name, if not for its packaging, then for its purpose. A people, mover that trades van vibes for SUV sensibilities, without losing its grip on usability.
Is the new Renault Espace a true seven, seater?
Technically yes, but the third row is best suited for children or short, distance trips for adults. For long journeys, consider it a five, plus, two.
Is Renault Espace available as a plug, in hybrid or fully electric?
No. The Espace is only available as a full hybrid. There’s no PHEV or EV variant planned on this platform.
Does Renault Espace offer all, wheel drive?
No, the Espace is only available with front, wheel drive, even in its highest trim.
